WASHINGTON—The Justice Department, along
with U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore, Middle District of Georgia, today
announced that a grand jury returned a superseding indictment against former
Wilcox County Sheriff Stacy Bloodsworth; his son, Austin Bloodsworth; and
former Wilcox County Jailer Casey Owens. The superseding indictment charges the
defendants with assaulting three different inmates inside of the Wilcox County
Jail on July 23, 2009, thereby violating their civil rights. As a result of the
assaults, one inmate suffered a broken jaw, and two other inmates sustained
bruises and scratches. The indictment also charges the defendants with
conspiring to cover up the assaults. In addition, Stacy Bloodsworth and Austin
Bloodsworth were charged with lying to the FBI, while Owens was charged with
writing a false report about the incident. Stacy Bloodsworth was charged with
tampering with one of the victims, as well as two witnesses.
In addition to the civil rights and
obstruction of justice charges stemming from the assaults that took place on
July 23, 2009, the superseding indictment also charges Stacy Bloodsworth with
violating the civil rights of individuals on two other occasions. Former
Sheriff Bloodsworth is charged with assaulting Wilcox County Jail inmate M.A.
in July 2009, causing him to suffer a laceration and pain. It also charges the
former sheriff with assaulting N.S. in November 2009, causing him to suffer a
concussion, bruising, and pain.
The civil rights charges carry a maximum
penalty of 10 years for each count, and the conspiracy and false statements
charges carry a maximum penalty of up to five years. Additionally, Stacy
Bloodsworth faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for each count of witness
tampering, while Owens faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for his writing a
false report.
A prior indictment, which was unsealed
on February 17, 2012, charged Stacy Bloodsworth, Austin Bloodsworth, Owens, and
former Wilcox County Jail trustee Willie James Caruthers with civil rights
violations in connection with the July 23, 2009 assault of the three inmates;
with conspiring to cover up the assaults; and with committing various
obstruction of justice offenses.
On April 4, 2012, defendant Caruthers
pleaded guilty to acting with several others, including law enforcement
officials, to assault an inmate in the Wilcox County Jail on July 23, 2009.
Caruthers also pleaded guilty to conspiring to tamper with a witness in
connection with the assault. During his plea hearing and in his factual basis,
Caruthers admitted that he, along with several other individuals, including law
enforcement officers, assaulted Wilcox County inmate K.H., causing K.H. to
suffer a broken jaw. Caruthers further admitted that he was present when
several individuals, including then-Sheriff Bloodsworth, assaulted inmates K.F.
and T.O., causing both of them to sustain bruises, scratches, and pain.
Caruthers further admitted that he conspired with several other people,
including Stacy Bloodsworth, to cover up the fact that law enforcement
officials and others had used excessive force against inmates K.H., K.F., and
T.O. Caruthers acknowledged that the plan of the conspiracy was for the
co-conspirators to prepare false reports and submit them to Wilcox County
Sheriff’s Office officials and to make statements consistent with those false
reports to anyone inquiring about the excessive use of force incident. When
Caruthers is sentenced, he faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years on the
civil rights violation and a maximum penalty of up to five years on the
conspiracy charge.
On March 5, 2012, former South Central
Georgia Drug Task Force Agent Timothy King Jr., 31, pleaded guilty to a bill of
information charging him with conspiring to tamper with a witness in connection
with the July 23, 2009 assaults of inmates K.H., K.F., and T.O. During his plea
hearing, King admitted that he conspired with several other people, including a
law enforcement official, to cover up the fact that law enforcement officials
and others had used excessive force against the three inmates. When King is
sentenced, he faces a maximum penalty of up to five years.
This case was investigated by the FBI
and is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Gerard V. Hogan and Trial
Attorney Christine M. Siscaretti of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights
Division and Assistant United States Attorney Paul C. McCommon, III of the U.S.
Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
An indictment is a formal accusation of
criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent
unless and until proven guilty.
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